Motor Unit Control and Force Fluctuation during Fatigue

Paola Contessa1, Alexander Adam2, Carlo J. De Luca2,3,4 Department of Information Engineering, University of Padova, Italy1 Neuromuscular Research Center, Boston University2 Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University3 4 Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Boston University
INTRODUCTION
During isometric contractions, the uctuation of the force output increases as the muscle fatigues and the contraction is sustained to exhaustion. The ring behavior of motor units (MUs) can be assessed by parameters such as the ring rate variability, the synchronization of motor unit rings, and common modulation of motor unit rings. Contrasting reports can be found on the behavior, in uence and causality of these parameters on the increasing force uctuation during fatigue. We analyzed motor unit ring data from the vastus lateralis muscle of four healthy subjects to investigate which motor unit control parameters were associated with the increased force uctuation. FORCE FLUCTUATIONS

EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
NON SIGNIFICANT PARAMETERS SIGNIFICANT PARAMETERS

METHODS

Fatiguing protocol: successive isometric contractions were tracked to exhaustion, separated by 6s of rest. Each contraction started with a ramp up to 50% MVC (at a rate of 10% MVC/s) and a brief hold phase; the target value was then decreased to 20% MVC and maintained at this level for 50s. At the end of the cycle, the force level was decreased at 10% MVC/s. EMG signal: EMG signals were recorded by use of a quadri lar ne wire sensor. Three combinations of pairs of wires were selected, di erentially amplied, and decomposed into their constituent motor unit action potential trains. The rings of the same motor units could be followed throughout the sequence of contractions. Data analysis: MU trains were low-pass ltered with a 0.4s Hanning window to obtain the mean ring rates (A). Firing rates and force over 30s of steady region were detrended by high-pass ltering the signals at 0.75 Hz (B), and the coe cient of variation (CV) was computed. The cross-correlation function between ring rates (C) and between ring rates and force (D) was calculated and the maximum value was measured. The synchronization between rings of concurrently active MUs (E) was also computed.

The rst, middle and last force trajectories tracked by one of the subjects are presented in order to show the increase in force uctuation with the progression of fatigue.

The coe cient of variation of the ring rates, the synchronization between MU rings, and the number of synchronized MUs did not increase signi cantly with endurance time.

CONCLUSIONS
Potential causes of increasing force uctuation during fatigue:

YES NO

Increasing common drive (correlation between ring rate and force increases) Motor unit recruitment Coe cient of variation of rings Synchronization of rings Number of synchronized motor units

The cross-correlation between ring rates, the crosscorrelation between ring rates and force, the number of recruited MUs and the coe cient of variation of the force increased signi cantly with endurance time.

Acknowledgement: This work was supported in part by Grants# HD38585 and HD050111 from NIHCD and by Ministero dellUniversit e della Ricerca, Itay.